G’bye, Gitli. You were quite a gal!

Vinod Khanna and Geetanjali Talyerkhan got married in 1971, after a three-year courtship

Raising a toast to the late Geetanjali Talyerkhan, who defined the quiet grace of a SoBo of yore

Geetanjali Talyerkhan, popularly known as ‘Gitli’, was by far the prettiest girl of her generation in Bombay – her perfect profile would have given even the Helen of Troy some complex. She had a sense of quiet dignity about her even as a teenager. As one from a prominent Parsee family of lawyers and businessmen, she came into her own early in life to emerge as the quintessential SoBo debutant – much sought after and admired by boys from schools such as Campion and Cathedral, which are in the vicinity.

I knew her, although not closely, but well enough to share a warm and comfortable relationship over fifty years. We would often find ourselves strolling along Marine Drive in the early evening (those days we had to be back home before sunset!), with a group of lovelorn swains trailing the gorgeous Geetanjali, dressed like a Gilmore Girl, complete in a pleated skirt, neat blouse, hair worn in a clean bob and kitten heels. Her smile transformed her completely – it was spontaneous, lively and softened the aloofness.

Over the years, we lost touch. And when her marriage to actor/ politician Vinod Khanna was announced in 1971, those of us who knew both of them, were pretty astonished. It was billed as a college romance (they’d met and fallen in love in 1968). Geetanjali was as non-filmi as they came – she had nothing to do with Bollywood. Vinod Khanna, dashing and handsome, was the heart-throb of countless fans. On the surface, it appeared like they had very little in common – he was a hatta-katta Punjabi munda who liked his drinks, parties and had a wide circle of friends from all walks of life. She was the reserved Parsee princess, sticking to a group of closeknit friends. We wondered if she had ever watched a masala Bollywood movie. Well, they got married, produced two wonderful looking boys (Akshaye and Rahul), and it looked like everything had worked out just fine. Geetanjali was rarely seen at Bollywood parties. In fact, she was rarely seen in public! Her few and far between sightings were at Mumbai’s private clubs, where she would go occasionally, with close girlfriends and family members.

By 1985, divorce papers were signed even as friends of the couple agreed it wasn’t a big surprise. Vinod Khanna had taken off to join the Osho Rajneesh ashram in America, a decision, I feel, which cost both a great deal emotionally.

Geetanjali withdrew almost completely from view, even after her sons joined the movies and were busy building their careers. Life moved them along at their sprawling Malabar Hill apartment, and people got used to the idea of a very private lady called Geetanjali, who was happy to be left alone, while the three men in her life – her ex-husband and two sons -- went ahead to create their own celebrity slots. Her closeness to Akshaye and Rahul was known to all, and her decision to stay away from the limelight was universally respected.

The last time we met was a few years ago at a common friend’s son’s wedding. It took me a while to recognise her. We met again subsequently, at the Raj Bhavan, when her cousin Ayesha Talyerkhan was releasing her coffee table book. We promised to stay in touch, both aware that such promises rarely materialise.

Looking back, it feels strange to think that this beautiful woman is no more. She was a part of Bombay’s lore – an aristocrat who represented a certain era of discretion and grace. She passed away as she had lived – minus any fuss. Quietly. She spent her last few hours at her Alibag farmhouse in Mandwa, with her son Akshaye making sure she was looked after till the end. Seventy years of living in dignity and grace is a huge achievement in today’s tinsel, brittle, publicity-obsessed world.

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